THE POSITIVE POSTPARTUM PROJECT

This non-profit project has been set up to get back to the basics. Women supporting women, communities caring for each other. Simple information to support postpartum needs. The right education when it comes to taking medications in such a vulnerable state.

We do not know how to ask for help and we don't know which way to turn. As our final straw of reaching out, we visit our trusted GP and, in a nut shell, given a prescription!

Why, in our Western worlds, do we not follow any of the Eastern protocols whereby the mother is fully nurtured for at least 6 weeks after birth and encouraged to rest deeply? She is served by her community and made to feel like a queen. She is honoured unconditionally and provided with warm nourishing building foods, massaged, given herbs and every ounce of her mind, body and soul's needs are attended to.

Notice we haven't even mentioned the baby yet!

All the emphasis nowadays in the Western world is on the baby, have we set up the nursery in the latest trend, let's throw a baby shower and buy all the latest unnecessary mod cons, mesh cloth tubes to suck food through incase the baby chokes, sterilizers, monitors, change tables, cots, decor, the expensive pram, is it pink or blue, the list goes on.

Where are the questions... how are you today Mum? Is there anything I can help you with? How are you feeling about bringing this baby into the world? Do you have a support system in place from those that care about you? Let me take the others and drop off some dinner for you tonight? Have you had enough sleep?

In many situations however, the questions can be there, but our minds have been conditioned to trojan on, to not ask for help, in fact, I think we seriously have lost the ability to know how to ask for help - its damn right shameful to be in a space of not coping.

This continues not only through the postpartum period but well on into our motherhood years. In the Eastern tradition, the communities are there for each other, taking care of each other and serving our basic fundamental needs - after all it really does take a village to raise a child.

I am raising this awareness because its not only been a lifelong passion of mine, but because of some tragic news announced recently.

A beautiful childhood friend of mine, Rebecca Kruza, decided to take her own life in a catastrophic way. Behind she left her 7 month old baby, her childhood sweetheart of 21 years and a deeply loving family. She did everything in her life to help others, she cared immensely for animals especially dogs and the well-being of others, she was a loyal friend and a servant to humanity

She suffered a miscarriage and craved to bring a child into the world, however, when she did, probably because of the above reasons, life became too hard and she was given a prescription….it was a deadly concoction and she could not cope, this must change!

In some cases there is a deep need for medication, however, as newborn mothers we need systems in place, we need to know how to ask for help, we need to know it is ok to reach out, we need to know how to take care of ourselves to be strong enough to mother.

Every single woman deserves the right to a healthy mind and body especially when she strives to raise our next generation.

This non for profit project has been set up to get back to the basics. Women supporting women, communities caring for each other. Simple information to support postpartum needs. The right education when it comes to taking medications in such a vulnerable state - the list goes on.

In honour of the amazing, beautiful, strong Rebecca Kruza, its time for change, and with your help and support, we can do this and create more awareness around postnatal needs.